Connector for sections

ABSTRACT

A connector element which can join frame sections whose ends are sloped relative to their longitudinal axis provides at least two flat contact surfaces which are perpendicular to each other and includes guiding projections which extend away from the respective contact surfaces, each guiding projection having a base portion and a tip portion, the tip portion tapering at a maximum angle of 20° from an imaginary plane that extends perpendicularly to the associated contact surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Sections of extruded aluminum are used to a large extent in building upstructures in public places and offices. Examples of such applicationsare electronic consoles for different purposes, e.g., radio and TVstudios, and watching and controlling of processes and the like. Thesections are connected at facing corners by the help of connectingmeans, to which the sections are attached by screws or similar means.Known connecting means have perpendicular contact surfaces to which theends of the sections are joined. Up to now, known connecting means onlypermit jointing of sections into normal corners. In cases in which it isdesired to have the sections meet at angles other than normal,alternative means for the jointing have had to be used.

A known connecting member has three normal contact surfaces forsections, and from these surfaces triangular guiding means protrudewhich are intended to extend into a cavity in the corresponding crosscutof the section to give a strong torsional connection between theconnecting member and the section. The triangular guiding means isconstituted by one half of a normal prism, which has been cut along adiagonal between two opposite corners. This corner member constitutesthe prior art from which the present invention is an improvement.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a connecting memberwhich avoids the drawbacks of the known connecting members, but whichpermits a connection of sections to corners, at which the sections canmeet under normal as well as sloping angles. The purpose has beenachieved by a connecting member having at least two normal contactsurfaces for sections and guiding means projecting from the same. Theinvention is characterized in that the guiding means show supportsurfaces sloping in a direction from the contact surface of the member.The guiding means permits a section which has been cut off with acontact surface sloping to the longitudinal direction of the section tobe brought together with the connecting member in a way that its guidingmeans is brought into a corresponding guiding groove in the sectionwithout obstacles.

The guiding means can be constituted by one or more designs, the commonfeature of which consists in the sloping support surfaces proposed tofix the section in a desired position. It is also within the scope ofthe invention to utilize one or more supporting means to fix one and thesame section. In this regard, a supporting means can be designed as twoconical pins projecting from the contact surface of the connectingmember or a longish conical means projecting from that surface.

The inclination of the support surfaces can be up to 20° to the normalto the contact surface without making the edges of the section projectfrom the connecting member in an aesthetically unattractive manner.Preferably the supporting surface slopes 15° to the normal to thecontact surface on the connecting member. It is also preferred to definean exact shape of the bottom of the guiding means by having the supportsurface slope firstly in a distance of about 1 mm from the contactsurface. Differences in dimensions arising relative to the slopingly cutsection will be taken up by plastic or elastic deformation of thesection at the jointing.

DESCRIPTION TO DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described below as an example of applicationin connection with the enclosed drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a consol to be used in television.

FIG. 2 shows a corner where two sections are jointed by help of aconnecting member, one section sloping with respect to a contact surfaceof the connecting member.

FIG. 3 shows the connecting member according to FIG. 2 seen from theside.

FIG. 4 shows the connecting member according to FIG. 3 seen in a view4--4 according to FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 shows the connecting member according to FIG. 3 in a view 5--5according to FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 shows the connecting member according to FIG. 4 in a view 6--6.

FIG. 7 shows a detail of a guiding means in a section along the line7--7 according to FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 shows the guiding means in a view along the line 8--8 accordingto FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the inventive connecting member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The connecting member according to FIG. 2 shows three perpendicularcontact surfaces 1 to which a section is connected. A first section 3.1is connected to the contact surface 1 at a right angle, while a secondsection 3.2 is connected to a corresponding contact surface at an angle"a". The second section 3.2 has been cut at an angle "a" to itslongitudinal direction.

The connecting member according to FIG. 2 is shown separately in FIGS.3-6. Each connecting member includes recesses 4 extending therein fromeach contact surface for accommodating sheets and the like which arecarried by the sections. A guiding means 5 projects from each contactsurface 1 each guiding means having a cross section parallel to theplane through a contact surface which is congruent with the crosssection of a cavity in the section in a known manner (the cavity in thesection is not shown on the figures). A connecting member also isprovided with a countersunk hole 6 by which the connecting member can bescrewed to each section.

The guiding means 5 projecting from each contact surface has accordingto FIG. 7 supporting surfaces 7 sloping at an angle "a" to the normal tothe contact surface 1. The guiding means also includes a portion 8nearest a contact surface 1 which is provided with supporting surfacesnormal to the adjacent contact surface. The inclination angle "a" ispreferably 15°.

We claim:
 1. In a connector element for attaching together at least two frame sections used to mount sheets of a structure, said connector element providing at least two flat contact surfaces which are perpendicular to each other and to which respective ends of associated frame sections can be attached and including guiding means which project outwardly from each contact surface so as to extend into an identically shaped cavity in the respective end of the associated frame section and prevent torsional twisting, the improvement wherein at least one said guiding means defines an outer supporting surface which, as it extends away from the associated contact surface from which it projects, includes a base portion which extends about 1 mm away from said contact surface and has an external side surface that extends substantially perpendicularly to said associated contact surface, and a tip portion which has a side surface which tapers as it extends away from said base portion at a maximum angle of 20° from an imaginary plane that extends perpendicularly to said associated contact surface, thus enabling the connection thereto of frame sections whose ends are sloped relative to their longitudinal axis.
 2. The connector element according to claim 1, wherein said angle is 15°.
 3. The connector element according to claim 1, wherein said base portion is triangular in cross section and provides three side surfaces which extend perpendicularly to the associated contact surface.
 4. The combination of at least two frame sections for mounting sheets of a structure and a connector element for attaching said frame sections together,said connector element providing a flat contact surface for the attachment of an end of each frame section, at least two of said contact surfaces being perpendicular to each other and including guiding means which project outwardly from each contact surface, at least one said guiding means defining an outer supporting surface having a base portion which extends about 1 mm away from said contact surface and has an external side surface that extends substantially perpendicularly to said associated contact surface, and a tip portion which tapers as it extends away from said base portion at a maximum angle of 20° from an imaginary plane that extends perpendicularly to said associated contact surface, and each of said frame sections defining a flat end for attachment to a contact surface of said connector element which includes a cavity identically shaped to said guiding means of said connector element, a flat end of at least one of said frame sections being sloped relative to a longitudinal axis of the associated frame section. 